Search for episodes from Bethany UCC with a specific topic:

Latest episodes from Bethany UCC

25.05.25. Sermon. Sanctuary: Abundance Abounds

Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 13:40


In his sermon this week, student pastor Xander King shares the call to proclaim abundance against narratives of scarcity.

25.05.18. Sermon. Sanctuary: Somebody's Knocking at Your Door

Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 15:33


In his sermon this week, Pastor Vince discusses false sanctuary vs. real sanctuary. He encourages us to embrace the real sanctuary of God's love and care, rather than give in to the false sanctuary of familiarity, despair and anger.

25.05.11. Sermon. Sanctuary: Dream Bigger

Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 13:46


We're focusing on Disability Justice this month at Bethany. In her sermon this week, Pastor Rebecca reflects on the ways churches and communities often ask 'how can you fit into how we do things' rather than asking 'how can we do things in ways that include the most people possible?'

25.05.04. Sermon: Sanctuary in the Wilderness

Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2025 14:35


In her last sermon as Bethany student pastor, Kelli Manning delivered a sermon asking: what does sanctuary look like when we are surrounded by the wilderness? Can Sanctuary and Wilderness coexist?

25.04.27. Sermon. Sanctuarying: How Space Comes Alive

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025 15:12


Citing the Potawatomi botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer, student pastor Xander King invites us to consider our church and it's community as verbs rather than nouns, to imagine them as living, changing things.

25.04.20. Sermon. Less: More Than You Know

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 12:52


In her Easter sermon this week, Pastor Rebecca shares how God reveals much more than we could know or imagine on our own.

25.04.13. Sermon. Taking Sides: The Way Of Love Is Not Neutral

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 16:35


"This is not a sermon about what you should do but it is a sermon about what can happen. How, without much planning, or even the skills you think you need, you can end up following Jesus just one step at a time. A sermon about what could happen when God speaks through you and you draw the attention of the Empire. So, I guess, it's a warning. That if you give up everything, you'll have nothing left, except the way of love."-Pastor Rebecca

25.04.06. Sermon. Less: A Human Amount

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2025 18:18


In his sermon this week, Pastor Vince shares the controversial opinion that we aren't required to do all that we can do.

25.03.30. Sermon. Less: A Prayer Not By Thomas Keating

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 14:48


In her sermon this week, Pastor Rebecca preached on releasing control. She cites the poem "Welcoming Prayer" by Mary Mrozowski.

25.03.23. Sermon. Less: Drop Everything

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 14:17


Pastor Vince shared the story of St. Francis' conversion, how he felt compelled to give up even his clothes to show his devotion to God. Vince doesn't think God requires all of that from us, but rather that we be "radically available" should the moment come.

25.03.16. Sermon. Less: Letting Go

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2025 14:39


In her sermon this week, Pastor Rebeccas shares the story of a friend asking her to help discard some spooky items. In doing so, she tells a story of loss, change and knowing when to let go.

25.03.09. Sermon. Less: Of God

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 11:27


On our first Sunday of Lent, Kelli explored the theme of less by acknowledging the many hats and labels we wear and inviting us to look underneath them all.

25.03.05. Sermon. Less: Más Simple

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 13:41


In the first sermon of our "Lent of Less" theme, Pastor Vince leads the congregation in burying our alleluias and delivers a sermon reminding us there are seasons for nuance, and seasons to speak plainly.

25.02.09. Sermon. Playing With Fire: Get Your Hands Dirty

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 7:18


As part of our kids centered worship theme for February, Pastor Vince interactively tells the story of the Good Samaritan (with the help of a few props).

25.02.02. Sermon. Playing With Fire: Breaking Stuff

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2025 8:17


In the first sermon of our "Playing With Fire" worship theme, things got messy (in a good way)! Listen to this interactive sermon from Pastor Rebecca, with a little help from the kids in our congregation.

25.01.26. Sermon. Prophetic Imagination: Prophetic Hope

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2025 14:39


Ok, so maybe Pastor Vince quotes Aristotle a few too many times in this sermon... but by the end, he weaves a tale of hoping even when it feels ridiculous to do so. He reminds us that sometimes, it's actually quite probable that improbable things will happen.

25.01.19. Sermon. Prophetic Imagination: Grief

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 13:27


In his sermon this week, Pastor Vince preaches on the connection between grief and imagination, and how they are more intertwined than one might think.

25.01.12. Sermon. Prophetic Imagination: Otherwise

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2025 12:51


In his sermon this week, Pastor Vince preaches on the powers that be always wanting to narrow our vision of whats possible. He reminds us that God calls us to prophetic imaginations and proposes alternative futures.

25.01.05. Sermon. Breaking Point: This Is The Beloved

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2025 14:20


Pastor Rebecca delivered a sermon this week focusing on Baptism. She reminds us that Baptism isn't the sign that we're loved, it's the sign that we've always been loved (and so has everyone else).

24.12.29. Sermon. Breaking Point: Jesus In The Temple

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2025 12:15


We were thrilled to have Guest Preacher Virginia Gilbert with us this week! In her sermon, she reminds us that Jesus grew up and was a beloved member of a community, just like us. He had relationships with family, teachers, and a whole host of people who shaped and formed him in love, just as we are formed today.

24.12.24. Sermon. Breaking Point: Christmas Eve

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2025 7:51


A very belated Merry Christmas from all of us at Bethany! Give our Christmas Eve sermon (delivered by Pastor Vince) a listen here.

24.12.22. Sermon. Breaking Point: Patterns

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2025 14:23


Pastor Rebecca preached on the subject of patterns this week, using the analogy of childbirth and "knowing when it's time to push". Give it a listen!

24.12.15. Sermon. Breaking Point: Practicing Precarity

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2024 13:44


Touching on the subject of matsutake mushrooms, Pastor Vince's sermon this week preaches on the ways Advent prepares us to live in a precarious world.

24.12.08. Sermon. Breaking Point: Hospitality In A Time Of Breaking News

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2024 14:45


Student Pastor Kelli Manning delivered a sermon this week focused on Advent as a time of waiting and expectation, but also a time of breaking news. Focusing on Luke 1:26-45, 56 and the story of Elizabeth and Mary, she asks: how do we show hospitality to one another when news breaks?

24.12.01. Sermon. Breaking Point: Learning To See In The Dark

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2024 14:36


In the first sermon of our "Breaking Point" series, Student Pastor Xander King considers Advent as a time just before sunrise. He asks us: how do we find glimpses of God during this dark season, and how we might allow those glimpses to give us hope for the future dawn?

24.11.24.Sermon. Help, Thanks, Wow: Thanks Anyways

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 12:20


In the last sermon in our "Help, Thanks, Wow" series, Pastor Rebecca centers Psalm 126, one of 15 Psalms meant to be sung by pilgrims on their way up to Jerusalem.

24.11.17. Sermon. Help, Thanks, Wow: The Why And The Wow

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2024 15:00


Pastor Vince centers this sermon around the idea that our suffering matters.

24.11.10. Sermon. Help, Thanks, Wow: Is There Life After Wreckage?

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 12:14


In the first sermon of our "Help, Thanks, Wow" worship theme, Pastor Rebecca preaches in response to the collective grief of the moment, reminding us that our help comes from God.

24.11.03. Sermon. Safe and Sound: A Cloud Never Dies

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 15:12


Pastor Vince's sermon this week is all about clouds. In it, he shares that no act of love is ever wasted.

24.10.27. Sermon. Safe and Sound: Crazy Wisdom

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 13:34


In a dialogue sermon between Pastor Rebecca and Dr. Hannah Carl, the two discuss 1st Corinthians 19 and our relationship between ourselves, our food and the land.

24.10.20. Sermon. Safe and Sound: Are You Listening?

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2024 15:11


Student Pastor Kelli Manning delivered a sermon this week asking the question: if we the Church are called to be one body, how is that body listening to their physical bodies?

24.10.13. Sermon. Safe and Sound: Open Door Policy

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 11:19


This week, student pastor Xander King reminded us that true safety is not found in locked doors and "sheepdog" mentality. True safety is found when a hug, a meal, a joke, and support is only a knock away.

24.10.06. Sermon. Safe and Sound: Let God Be God

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2024 13:46


In the first sermon of our "Safe and Sound" worship theme, Pastor Vince reminds us that we come to church to be cared for by God, not to receive a to-do list.

24.09.29. Sermon. Reboot: Touch Grass

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 15:54


Pastor Rebecca delivered the final sermon in our "Reboot" series. She preaches on the idea of pausing from the tech that holds us under their spell. What does it take to break that spell?

24.09.22. Sermon. Reboot: Pet Blessing Sunday

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2024 22:07


This week, in alignment with "Pet Blessing Sunday", congregation members shared stories about their beloved pets. We heard stories from Nola Amlin, Vince Amlin, Yasuko Oura, Keith Schnabel, Lilah Soyster and Hannah Carl. We hope you enjoy!

24.09.15. Sermon. Rebooted: Work On A Human Scale

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2024 14:26


In this week's sermon, Pastor Rebecca shares stories about her time driving Oxen, and preaches on the idea of church as "appropriate technology" (affordable, sustainable, available, locally autonomous). Give it a listen!

24.09.08. Sermon. Reboot: Old Clocks, New Wine

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 15:12


Pastor Vince delivered the first sermon in our "Reboot" theme last week! In it, he ponders on God's way of keeping time and how we might know what the given moment is for.

24.09.01. Sermon. unCONVENTIONal: King Me

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2024 11:52


This week, Pastor Vince delivered a sermon for the kids who grew up with a Gameboy. In it, he reminds us that we aren't "doing it wrong" when there are problems.

24.08.25. Sermon. unCONVENTIONal: Swim Toward The Shark

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2024 13:56


Pastor Rebecca's sermon this week focuses on the "Good Samaritan". She preaches about building muscles for doing the good work- building the instinct to get involved in messy stuff where folks need us. If we're all equipped, none of us are vulnerable. We hope you enjoy listening!

24.08.11. Sermon. unCONVENTIONal: Loving Your Enemies

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2024 14:53


Pastor Rebecca's sermon this week contained some hard news: unfortunately, God loves even your enemies.

24.08.04. Sermon. unCONVENTIONal: Baptism Sunday

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2024 14:08


For the first sermon in our unCONVENTIONal series, Pastor Vince preached on the unconventional wisdom of Jesus. Along the way, he discusses how he got converted to baptizing babies.

24.07.28. Sermons. VS: Creator vs. Christ vs. Holy Spirit!

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 19:09


We had not two, but THREE sermons this week in accordance with our "Versus" theme! Pastor Alaina Hoffman preached for the Holy Spirit, Pastor Izzy Collazo preached for the creator while Pastor Vince Amlin preached for Christ. Who do you think won?!

24.07.21. Sermon. Vs: Cup Of Blessing vs. Bread Of Life

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 17:16


For the third week of our "Vs." theme, Pastor Vince preached "Cup Of Blessing" while Pastor Rebecca preached "Bread Of Life". The congregation deemed it a tie! Give it a listen to decide on a winner yourself.

24.07.15. Sermons. VS: Hope vs. Faith

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2024 19:56


In bout 2 of our July "VS." theme, Rev. Vince Amlin gave a sermon on "Faith" while Rev. Rebecca Anderson preached on the subject of "Hope". Decide for yourself who "won" by giving it a listen!

24.07.07. Sermon. VS: Green Pastures vs. Still Waters

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2024 14:54


Are you ready to rumble??? Our July sermon series is "VS", a series of preacherly matches in which the beef is fake but the good news is real. Today's podcast is bout 1: Reverend Vince Amlin is preaching "Still Waters" while Reverend Rebecca Anderson is preaching "Green Pastures". Let the games begin!

24.06.30. Sermon. Setting The Table: I Am Somebody

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2024 14:34


Pastor Vince gave the final sermon for our "Setting The Table" series" last week, which also coincided with the final day of Pride Month. He asserts that "Jesus' welcome has always been and will always be a Queer welcome, first and foremost to the ones who have been left out, forced out, oppressed and abused by the dominant culture. Whenever you see people being banned, being walled out or simply being ignored, you can be sure the voice of Jesus is calling out 'blessed are you: Trans kids, Venezuelan asylum seekers, Drag Queens... You are somebody, you are mine.'"

24.06.16. Sermon. Setting The Table: Divine HodgePodge

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2024 16:04


Pastor Vince delivers a sermon considering the “hodgepodge” that makes up a church and how we might find strength and value in our differences.

24.06.09. Testimonials. Setting The Table: Stories From Biloxi

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 17:32


This week, congregation members Dave Scott, Johnny Buranosky, and Mary Ellen Monzella shared some beautiful testimonies about their time at in Biloxi, MS working with the Back Bay Mission. We hope you enjoy!

24.06.02. Sermon. Setting The Table: Hospitality- Coming and Going

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2024 16:01


This week, we started our new series "Setting the Table", a theme centering storytelling and hospitality. Bethany congregation member Ron Romasanta set the table for communion this week and shared a bit of his story, which we've included as part of this week's podcast. We also hear a sermon from Pastor Rebecca on Genesis 18.

24.05.19. Sermon. Hand To God: Unshakeable

Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2024 13:48


Vince's sermon this week was, yet again, about St. Cuthbert

24.05.12. Sermon. Hand To God: Continuous, Enthusiastic Covenant.

Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2024 15:00


In his sermon this week, Pastor Vince looks at faith not as a simple, one time promise, but rather as a continuous commitment towards community and relationship.

Claim Bethany UCC

In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

Claim Cancel